Cécile Lucot has lived in St. Barths for ten years. Originally from Bordeaux, this professional journalist was the editor-in-chief of St. Barth Magazine for six years. She then participated in the daily local mini-newspaper "Today" and writes regularly for regional magazines. Once or twice a month, she presents a recap of local news on St. Barths Online.

March 12, 2008 - #88

General Director of Post Office visits Saint Barth

Georges Lefebvre, general director of the postal service, visited the Northern Islands accompanied by Nicole Carel, executive director for overseas, and Marc Nile, director of the post offices for St Barthélemy and St Martin, a new post created earlier this year as a result of the political evolution of the two islands. On February 29, the guests toured the three post offices in Saint Bath with Alfred Hamm, director of the postal service for the island, before meeting president Bruno Magras at the Hôtel de la Collectivité. Among the subjects discussed, an upcoming audit by the French Ministry of Industry to identify peculiarities on each island: in Saint Barth, for example, packages are not delivered to houses since import duties must be paid. This fact will be included in an agreement whose goal is to spell out the parameters of the postal service. The audit will also examine the question of publishing new stamps, a decision made by the government, which determines a philatelic program each year. Another modification underway, due to the evolution of the island as a COM, is a new zip code for Saint Barth. It looks as if the new codes will begin with 97-7 for St Barth and 97-8 for St Martin. The post office is not yet sure and will make a definitive decision next July. But one thing seems certain: the zip code for Saint Barth will not be 97000, a code already attributed to Reunion Island, which has outgrown 97-4.

Pre-stamped envelopes with art by Marie-Laure Pichon

Marie-Laure Pichon was this year’s winner in the annual paining competition organized by the association, Saint B’Art. Her winning painting will be printed on a series of 10,000 pre-paid envelopes that will be available in the island’s post offices as of late March. During their visit to Saint Barth, Georges Lefebvre and Nicole Carel announced the creation of a shop in the local post offices to sell objects related to correspondence—a service already offered Guadeloupe and Martinique. Items will include laminated, folding maps of the islands and archipelago, as well as items for writing, and under consideration is the creation of special series of pre-paid envelopes illustrated by local artists.

Transat ag2r Concarneau-Saint Barth

Pierre Bojic, director de Penduick, the company behind the Transat ag2r, was in Saint Barth with his associate, Mathieu Sarrot, in order to finalize the arrival of the race. They met with Michel Magras, the territorial council member responsible for sports, and Markku Harmala, president of the Saitn Barth Yacht Club, as well as Philippe Morel, marketing director for Dauphin Télécom, a local sponsor of the event. The ninth edition of this transatlantic two-person race in identical Figaro Bénéteau sailboats will take off from Concarneau on April 20 and is expected to arrive in Saint Barth around May 10. New this year: journalists, photographers, and a crew from French television, all aboard a catamaran, will follow the race closely. The goal is to be able to broadcast images and comments from the participants from the middle of the ocean on a daily basis.